2020 -- S 2941

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LC005492

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING SENATOR JAMES C. SHEEHAN ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE RHODE

ISLAND SENATE AFTER TWENTY YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED AND EXEMPLARY

SERVICE

     Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Raptakis, and Metts

     Date Introduced: December 18, 2020

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, Senator James C. Sheehan was born in 1966. He graduated from North

Kingstown High School in 1984, the University of Rhode Island in 1988 with a Bachelor's

degree, and from Catholic University in 1992 with a Master's degree. He received his Teacher’s

Certificate from Rhode Island College in 1985; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Sheehan was elected to the Rhode Island Senate in 2000 from

District 36, representing North Kingstown and Narragansett. Since his election, he has

championed numerous initiatives related to environmental protection, improving public

education, helping small businesses, and increasing access to healthcare services for all Rhode

Islanders; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Sheehan has always, throughout his distinguished public service

career, been fully supportive of improving government transparency, ethics and efficiency. He

was the prime sponsor of the State's landmark reform to the Access to Public Records Act in

2012, and received the prestigious Excellence in Public Service Award from Common Cause RI;

and

     WHEREAS, Senator Sheehan currently serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on

Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight, Secretary of the Senate Committee on Health and

Human Services, and as a member of the Senate Committee on Education. He also serves on the

Quonset Development Corporation, the State House Security Commission, the North Kingstown

Democratic Town Committee, and the Narragansett Democratic Town Committee; and

     WHEREAS, In addition, Senator Sheehan is a member of the North Kingstown Boosters,

Smith's Castle Historical Association, Save the Bay, Knights of Columbus, Narrow River

Preservation Association, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and is Co-Chair of the William H.

Sheehan Scholarship Fund. He is a teacher in the Warwick School Department, is married to

Meredith, and together they have two children, Colin and Liam; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby honors Senator James

C. Sheehan on his retirement from the Rhode Island Senate after twenty years of distinguished

and exemplary service; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable James C. Sheehan.

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LC005492

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